This week, Ireland marked the 250th anniversary of the birth on August 6th 1775 of Daniel O'Connell, known as The Liberator, and, alongside Parnell, one of two 19th century political leaders referred to as "the uncrowned king of Ireland".

Like most people born in 1775 with any descendants alive today, the number of Daniel O'Connell's descendants now undoubtedly runs into thousands, and they are probably to be found in many walks of Irish life, ranging from politics to horseracing.

When The Liberator's greatgreatnephew Basil Morgan O'Connell finished compiling his O'Connell Family Tracts back in 1946, he was already able to document 511 descendants.

Many of Daniel's living descendants may no longer even be aware of their relationship.

Politics in Ireland is often a family business: I highly recommend a great Wikipedia page entitled "Families in the Oireachtas", although the O'Connell era is outside the scope of that page.

However, at least one of Daniel O'Connell's descendants still holds elected office today, in the European Parliament.

O'Connell's third son

To start from the beginning: Daniel O'Connell's third son John, once known as the Young Liberator, was himself an MP from 1832 to 1851, representing in turn Youghal, Athlone, Kilkenny City, Limerick City and Clonmel.

In 1844, he was imprisoned briefly with his father in Richmond jail after a treason trial.

Of John's eight children, all grandchildren of The Liberator, Mary married Andrew Nugent Comyn, of Ballinderry, Co Galway, in 1867.

Of Andrew and Mary's six children, all greatgrandchildren of The Liberator, Nicholas O'Connell Comyn, a well-known cricketer, married Cecil Mahony in 1911.

Of Nicholas and Cecil's eight children, the youngest, Joan Comyn, married another famous Daniel, Dan Moore, in 1948.

Daniel Moore was probably named after his maternal grandfather, Daniel O'Connell Smithwick, who in turn was certainly named after his godfather, none other than Daniel O'Connell, The Liberator.

Daniel Moore was a champion jump jockey and trainer, but in the 1940s was not allowed to pursue both careers simultaneously.

Coincidence

By coincidence, his right-hand man, who held the training licence until Dan retired from riding around the time of his marriage, was another O'Connell, unrelated to The Liberator, but also a former TD for Limerick. That Dick O'Connell's nephew Tom O'Donnell and greatnephew Kieran O'Donnell have both followed him as TDs for Limerick, while his late son Al O'Connell and now his granddaughter Claire O'Connell have followed him as successful racehorse trainers.

Dick O'Connell is credited with training two Irish Grand National winners during his time holding the licence for Dan Moore.

Dan Moore eventually trained 15 winners in his own name at the Cheltenham Festival, including L'Escargot, one of only two horses to win both the Cheltenham Gold Cup and Aintree Grand National. His widow Joan, greatgreatgranddaughter of The Liberator, carried on training after Dan's death and later became manager of Punchestown Racecourse and the first woman ever elected to the Irish National Hunt Steeplechase Committee.

As early as 1962, Tommy Carberry rode one of Dan Moore's Cheltenham winners; eight years later he married the trainer's daughter Pamela, great-great-great-granddaughter of The Liberator.

Like his father-in-law, Tommy was champion jump jockey in Ireland, in his case on four occasions.

Pamela and the late Tommy had five sons and one daughter, most of whom became successful jockeys. The only daughter, Nina, great-great-great-great-granddaughter of The Liberator, had extraordinary success as a champion amateur jump jockey, with seven Cheltenham Festival winners and an Irish Grand National. She then became a reality television star on Dancing With The Stars and Ireland's Fittest Family, before she brought the family history full circle last year when she stood for and was elected to the European Parliament, representing the Midlands–North-West constituency.

Nina also married into horseracing royalty, as her husband is Ted Walsh jr., whose father and siblings are well-known to anyone who follows Irish racing on television.

While her achievements as a female amateur rider have since been surpassed by Rachael Blackmore in the professional ranks, Nina has a bright political future before her.

I hope that Nina is aware of her own illustrious political roots, but, if so, then she has kept very quiet about them.